Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Baby Burrito - Bear

I love knitting.

And knitting is much more fun when I get a chance to share it.

I am expecting baby #2 in November, and I recently realized it was time to begin some baby crafting, and so I chose to make Baby Burrito - Bear. Eventually this post will contain the complete pattern and pictures of my progress, and a demonstration with new baby when he arrives.

The Baby Burrito is like a swaddle for the baby without all the swaddling. It is a body sock. And I'll be making this one with a matching hat with little bear ears, and bear paw stitching on the body.

Please follow my progress on Ravelry: Burrito Baby - Bear Project Page

Speaking of Ravelry, I have only just found this on-line communtiy for Fiber Arts Lovers, and it is great! If you like to knit, crochet, dye, spin, weave, etc. this is a great resource and a great way to meet others. Plus there are themed groups ( I joined one for medievalists, Harry Potter fans, and Doctor Who fans today) and groups by location to help put you in touch with people in your area!

Pattern So Far:

Burrito:

Camus helps with the first stage of Baby Burrito
16" Circular needles size three
Trim color: left-overs, I'm using multicolor white/lt blue/darkblue
Body color: 1 skein ?, I'm using beige.

In Trim Color, Cast On 79
K2P2 (except for last three st in round which wind up being k2p1) for 8 rows
Change color to body Color.
knit every stitch for 1 row
Seed stitch (k1p1) every row (if you knit the stitch in the row before, purl it the next time and vice versa) for 18 inches...... [I'll get there....]

Friday, June 18, 2010

In Search of a Deep Fryer

I know, I know. Fried food will kill you, blah blah blah. But seriously, it is not the 'fried' nearly so much as the quantity and quality. And quality fried food is hard to get at home.

We requested and very kindly received a deep fryer as a wedding gift, but after four years it died. By the time it did, it was no great sadness, because it had stopped holding its temperature a long time ago. Limp, soggy french fries are unappealing.


Then we became the proud caretakers of a hand-me-down wok from a friend. This worked great, temperature-wise. But the lid merely balanced on top, and everything within a ten-mile radius was covered with a fine coating of peanut goodness. Which is great if you're a chocolate bar, but sticky for everything else. Then it died.

Since then we have been in mourning. We've made due with a skillet, but this makes it hard to do egg rolls or crab Rangoon.

So we recently made the decision to at last begin our search for a new, better quality deep fryer.

A decision that has been a little like wandering in the desert.

We were willing to pay a little more for a quality product, something that holds its temp, that won't up and die, and that makes it easy to put the oil away. This last quality is my requirement. I really hate the oil being just left in the fryer/wok/pan because it makes the whole kitchen and then eventually house smell like used oil. When I come into the kitchen the smell attacks me. And since I got pregnant the smell problem has only become worse.

So we looked and looked. And read reviews. And looked on every website for a zillion stores. But for each different model, there were always enough serious reservations that it left us in a quandary. They leak. They die. They don't hold temps. They cost a fortune to run. And if you really want something that even reaches 375 F, you have to install a 220v outlet.

Is there in fact a quality deep fryer at all??

Finally I had a light bulb moment. Check America's Test Kitchen! Eureka! I looked both at different recipes for things we like to cook and at the Equipment section for Fryers.

The answer?

No, there is no such thing as a reliable, quality deep fryer.

They use a Dutch Oven. Or a French Oven, depending on your heritage! And there is a new line out that costs closer to $50 instead of the usual $200+.

Well, we don't have one. We have stock pots, but a French Oven is cast iron, and if you get one with an enamel coating then you do not have to worry about seasoning problems. And of course it is not only good for frying but soups, stews, certain breads, and chicken pot pie !! (My husband: "I don't _care_ what else it's good for!! :-)

So we ordered one, and a metal funnel strainer to go along with it, complete with a promise from my darling dearest to willingly participate in the putting away of the oil after it cools.

The review to follow after we've given it a run!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Fantastic Strawberry Fluff Cupcakes

Oh. My. God.
Icing should Never Ever taste this good.
I'm considering just eating Strawberry Fluff Icing for dinner.
Wow.

See,  Apparently cupcakes are all the rage in New York City, according to my sister who lives there, at least in her corner of the world.

For cupcakes

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

Directions


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

2.Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

3.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.

4.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

5.With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

6.Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Ingredients

Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1.Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Latin Breakthrough

Hooray! I think that I finally understand the difference between the gerund and the gerundive. They come from basically the same form - and/end/und - but the gerund is a stand alone noun, conjugated 2nd decl neut., and the gerundive, while meaning almost the same thing, is used adjectively with the object of the sentence. I want [of writing] {I want to write} - I want of letters [to be written] {I want to write letters.}
Cupida sum scribendi - Cupida sum litterae scribendae.
So gerund adject and gerundive adjective.
Well, it makes sense to me, anyway, finally!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Saint Gerard Bread

First, the recipe, and a picture, then story time!

Saint Gerard Bread
(White Sandwich Bread)

(using Kitchen-Aid mixer with dough hook)

2 cups warm milk
4 ½ tsp yeast (or 2 pkgs)
2 tbs sugar
8 cups flour
4 tsp salt
2 tbs butter at room temperature

1. Put the warm milk, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Then get all the rest of your ingredients together while the milk mixture and yeast hang out together for a few minutes.

2. Put flour in mixing bowl and stir in salt. Make well in the flour and place butter at bottom of well.

3. Pour the yeast mixture into the center and wait 30 seconds, giving butter a chance to soften. Gently lower the dough hook. Begin to knead, first on stir then move it up. As it is mixing add a little warm water, one tbs at a time with at least 30 sec in between additions, or more flour to get this texture just right. For fluffy, soft bread with a tight crumb, the dough should just hold together in a ball but feel dry to the touch and should not stick to your fingers. Requires some trial and error. You may need to knead it some at the end, adding a little water to your palms. Total kneading time about ten minutes.

4. Put in covered bowl to rise for an hour.

[If you need a warm, no-draft location, leave oven off and put a bowl of hot water on the bottom while dough rises. The oven stays at perfect temperature for rising. Anytime you use the oven for rising you must remove the dough before you preheat the oven for baking!]

5. After an hour, punch down dough, degassing it, and remove the dough from the bowl. Divide in half and cover. Let rest for 10 minutes.

6. Shape each ball into a loaf. [I like to pat into a rectangle, then roll it up, pinching the seam and tucking in the ends.] Put into well-greased loaf pans, seam-side down. Cover and let rise another hour or so. Loaves should rise well over the top of the pan. If not, let rise a bit more.

7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake approximately 45 minutes. When it is golden brown and hollow-sounding it is done.

8. Remove loaves from pans immediately and cool on wire rack. The crust will soften after it cools.



Saint Gerard Bread


Are You Willing to Do the Miraculous?

Coming to this bread started as a search for Saint Gerard. And the search for Saint Gerard started as a search for a patron saint of motherhood and for those trying to conceive.

See SaintGerard.comSaints.SQPN.com, Saints and Angels.

My husband and I have a son, Nico, who is 21 months as of this writing, and we would like more. We are committed to "trying" yet not stressing over it. The last thing we need is for our intimacy to become a source of further stress in our lives when it should be a source of strength.

But sometimes this is easier said than done, particularly for a woman, whose body cycles give her nudges and reminders that prevent her from completely ignoring it. So I decided to look toward the saints for some extra comfort and peace of mind. I wound up praying for a miracle.

Sometimes my conversations with God or the saints are like that. I begin with one intention, but through the back and forth conversation, the barriers break down, the truth comes out. This time I had to admit that I really am hoping to get pregnant. We both would like Nico to have a sibling. At least one, preferable two. I hate feeling like the clock is ticking. All life is a miracle. Is that what I was asking for? A miracle?

And Saint Gerard said, "You want a miracle. If I help you, are willing to do the miraculous? You know what needs to be done. You need to take care of yourself. Eat right and exercise. This is the miraculous. I will help you if you are willing."

I knew what he meant. The miraculous is not necessarily something shocking and unexpected. Sometimes it is the very ordinary. I knew that his help came with no promises. All of Life is always only in God's hands. But I know that I need to be ready for whatever Life God brings to me, and the way to be ready is to take care of myself. And I knew that St. Gerard would help me, because sometimes it takes a real dedication to treat yourself with the same care and love and respect that you would give your own child without hesitation.

In my reading about Saint Gerard, some mention was made of Saint Gerard Bread, eating it as a sign of solidarity with all of those whom Gerard helped in his lifetime. I could find no recipe. So I decided to make one. What kind of bread should I use? The answer was simple- the bread of everyday, ordinary life. The bread of Motherhood - of Parenthood, really. Because my first desire for seeking Saint Gerard was more about becoming a better and better parent. As a new stay-at-home mom, there is still a lot that I have to learn about my craft. It is a calling that I have followed with enthusiasm, but it is not without challenges.

So I played around with this recipe until it was what I was looking for: simple, everyday bread that is yet delicious. The miraculous of the everyday. The way it is to be a parent.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Happy Blogoversary, Praying and Oven Fries

With the start of a new year/ new semester and the upcoming milestone, it is time to get back on to regular posting! The past year of blogging has been sporadic, but I am now going to be more reliable with posting.


Praying at Bedtime

It is one of my new favorite things to do. Nico is 1 1/2, and not able to pray with me interactively yet, but he is never too young to enjoy prayer as much as I do.

First, I start with some extemporaneous prayers of thanksgiving. We pray for Mama, Daddy, Nico, Grandparents, etc. We pray for anyone hurting. We pray for all people who are helping others, missionaries, shelter workers, etc - the real forgotten heroes.

Then, chaplet style, with a few breaths in between rounds, we pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and a modified Now I Lay Me:

Now I lay me down to sleep
 I pray the Lord my soul to keep
God is with me through the night
and wakes me with the morning light.

After three or four rounds of this he usually gives one last great snuggle and then sits up and leans toward his bed. In he goes, and I leave him fall asleep while he sings to his animals. Adorbs.

Oven Fries

I have been on a great quest for yummy AND easy oven fries. Thanks to Rachel Ray, and a little modification, I found it. They were not perfect tonight, but I know the trick that will fix.

4-5 potatoes, scrubbed, leave peel on, chopped into wedges
3 tbs peanut oil
steak seasoning (I like McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning)
A GOOD cookie sheet/pan
Oven at 425

Rub oil on pan. Place wedges on pan. Cram on as many as you can fit if you like. Springle with Steak Seasoning. Place in Oven for a total of 40 - 50 minutes, Turning every TEN minutes. All done when Golden brown.

That is it. For every French Fry, turn turn turn, there is a seasoning, turn turn turn....